Any comments must be prefaced with an immense thank-you to PBH and those without whom such as Danny et al. Some progress with Kate on the Board and disappointment in PBH just missing out. MUCK voted but in that wonderful retrospect wish we had put in for more members. Didn’t know we could. The thing is that the ten pounds is actually an investment if we managed to get around the programme copy fee.
My personal opinion is that PBH involvement next year should be made conditional on proof of trying to join,
But what a topper with PBH lifting the Spirit of the Fringe award (won by Jack Daniels last year) though for us PBH is the personification of the Fringe, which I suppose is the opposite of a spirit... Anyway when they come to write the history of UK comedy spanning the last and this century PBH has a big big chapter owing him
.
To the specifics:

MADOGS – we had an early afternoon slot. It’s changing into a two tier night club soon so not sure what that means for the future. For now the staff were as personable and helpful as ever. The gents toilet tap continues to be a major cause of global warming.
The day passing footfall is what makes Madogs special – there are just so many people who feel able to spare an hour and can be brought down the steps by some cajoling. The staff for reasons I can’t remember put a blanket ban on kids which actually suited us as some of our comics use/abuse adult humour.
The numbers are best at weekends but quite ok in terms of at least reaching double figures in the middle of the week. The layout and electrics is fine – but their PA is out of bounds and didn’t work well anyway so we bought in a stand alone PA from Grassmarket and all was well
Audience older and quieter than our night time audiences. Two years for us there now. V happy with the captain Alan Sharp who communicated to all well

GLOBE – a late night show for us there for our more experienced acts. This was the last minute cover venue following Edward Nicols going breasts up. Essentially there are two elongated archways usually used to watch footie on a screen. They could both double as a pizza oven. There were no doors so heavy drapes were used. While not exactly sound proof some strange law of acoustic physics meant when two shows were running there was no significant acoustic bleed between the two rooms. But a noisy bar, tvs, other show means its not for the faint hearted or a mime troupe.
Mostly a great overheated atmosphere just off the royal mile. More like a comedy club setting than Madogs.
It’s a tightly seated venue which leads to lots of mess on tables and the floor. This means its essential there is housekeeping before and after each gig. The last act on has the most obligations here to please the bar manager and needs to have quite a few willing members. Comments that the posters were not always reliable and people turned up to a few non shows – though the late re-planning led to two shows being pulled by the venue in deference to football – to be honest it seemed people were glad of the night off

The show prior to us - you know who you are, but we cant remember - ripped it every night but overran every night and left the stage dismantled, covered in olives, nuts and many other props so we usually only had five minutes maximum to fill Arch 2 each night – which luckily wasn’t a significant problem!

Again the Captain Richard Brophy had a difficult job and did very well.

GRAPES – only had a four gigs here when displaced from Globe. Lovely staff, nice large venue, good PA but awful, awful night footfall. No one on that street was interested they were all going somewhere else – so audience nos poor.

This was MUCKS third year in Edinburgh and being near the Royal Mile meant it was the best for us. Thanks

My first show of the day was after MUCK. I'd just like to say what a pleasure they are to work with. There were times when I'd feel really dejected at the start of the day, daunted by all the work that lay ahead, not least the prospect of rounding a crowd together for an early-afternoon show. Hooking up with the MUCK guys always gave me an instant lift. They're friendly and full of energy, and brilliant at flyering. They must've doubled my audience numbers on some days.

A great idea which MUCK employed (and also Alfie Moore I think?) was to get their flyer printed onto a large sign - like the type that say GOLF SALE in town centres. I think it's quite cheap to get done, and it seemed incredibly effective, along with their very vocal town-cryer brand of publicity!

A great bunch of characters who I look forward to bumping into on the Northern circuit, and up at the Fringe, of course.